Current minimum smoke rocket motor solid propellants produce fuel rich exhaust products that combust or afterburn with air beyond the nozzle exit of the rocket motor. Such afterburning does not contribute to rocket motor thrust, is undesirable, and in many cases is unacceptable because it increases the radiation emission signature of the missile.
There are many documented approaches for the use of chemical means to suppress afterburning, however they have not been proven to be acceptable for accomplishing the desired results in afterburning for all cases. Depending upon the nature of the chemicals used, various previous methods have included: (1) the incorporation of the chemical suppressant into the main rocket motor propellant itself, (2) coating resonance rods with the chemical suppressant and placing them inside the rocket motor structure and (3) using ablative nozzle rings or sections in the rocket motor for providing suppressant for the rocket motor.
Many solid propellants that are used in these minimum smoke type solid propellants are chemically or otherwise incompatable with the suppressant so that direct incorporation into the minimum smoke solid propellant is not possible. In prior art devices, the ablative technique is ineffective and requires large amounts of suppressant that results in smoke signature. Therefore, it can be seen that a method or device that is effective in controlling or eliminating afterburning in a rocket motor is needed.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of injecting a suppressant into the exhaust gases of a rocket motor to cause the exhaust gases to be substantially extinguished.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method in which a specific fluoro halogenated carbon compound is injected into the rocket motor exhaust gases to act as a fire extinguishing material to extinguish and prevent or reduce afterburning.
Still another object of this invention is to inject a halogenated carbon compound into the exhaust gases of a rocket motor to act as a fire extinguishing substance to reduce afterburning of the exhaust gases.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in this art.